---
title: "Arrauschildpad"
description: "Podocnemis expansa — Reptielen. The Arrau turtle (Podocnemis expansa), also known as the South American river turtle, giant South American turtle, giant Amazon River turtle, Arrau sideneck turtle, Amazon River turtle or simply the Arrau, is the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira) and the largest freshwater turtle in Latin America."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/giant-south-american-turtle
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Arrauschildpad

> Podocnemis expansa — Reptielen. The Arrau turtle (Podocnemis expansa), also known as the South American river turtle, giant South American turtle, giant Amazon River turtle, Arrau sideneck turtle, Amazon River turtle or simply the Arrau, is the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira) and the largest freshwater turtle in Latin America.

- Scientific name: *Podocnemis expansa*
- Category: `reptiles` (Reptielen)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Meren en rivieren)
- iNaturalist observations: 748
- Wikidata: [Q2625714](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2625714)
- iNaturalist taxon: [40147](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/40147)

## Names

- en: Giant South American Turtle
- de: Arrauschildkröte
- es: Charapa
- fr: Podocnémide Élargie
- nl: Arrauschildpad
- pt: Tartaruga-da-amazônia
- pl: Arrau

## Countries with the most observations

BR (157), BO (50), EC (33), PE (24), CO (15), VE (5), PA (3)

## Summary

The Arrau turtle (Podocnemis expansa), also known as the South American river turtle, giant South American turtle, giant Amazon River turtle, Arrau sideneck turtle, Amazon River turtle or simply the Arrau, is the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira) and the largest freshwater turtle in Latin America. The species primarily feeds on plant material and typically nests in large groups on beaches. Due to hunting of adults, collecting of their eggs, pollution, habitat loss, and dams, the Arrau turtle is seriously threatened.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrau_turtle

## Photo

![Arrauschildpad](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/giant-south-american-turtle/medium.jpg)

Photo: Whaldener Endo · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/120693448

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/giant-south-american-turtle?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).